AutoCAD 2004 Customization Tutorial: Command
Line Switches

You can affect the startup of AutoCAD by adding command line
switches. A good knowledge of command line switches is always
useful. The following tutorial is conducted in Windows XP
Professional environment.

2. Use Ctrl+Drag method to create two copies of AutoCAD shortcut
icon.

3. Click on the first icon.

4. Press F2.

5. Alter the text to Set1 [Figure1].

Figure 1

6. Alter the name of the second icon to Set2.

7. Right-click on the first icon. A shortcut menu appears
[Figure 2].

Figure 2

8. Select Properties.

9. Add "/p set1 /nologo" to the end of the Target field
[Figure 3]. Notice that "/p set1" starts AutoCAD with set1
profile. This profile was created during a tutorial called
Option Profiles. The /nologo starts AutoCAD without showing the
startup logo [Figure 4].

Figure 3

Figure 4

10. Click OK.

11. Double-click the icon. AutoCAD starts based on the settings
defined in set1 profile and without the startup logo.

12. Back to desktop, right-click on the set2 icon.

13. Click Properties.

14. Add "/p set2 /t custom" to the end of the Target
field [Figure 5].

Figure 5

15. Click OK.

16. Double-click the icon. AutoCAD starts based on the settings
defined in set2 profile and the custom.dwt
template file. You should follow the tutorial on
Template Files to create
the template file.

About the Author

Alireza Parsai is the founder of cadpanel.com. He is a
mechanical engineer with more than 12 years experience with
AutoCAD. Alireza is an Autodesk Authorized Author, the AutoCAD
consultant for Al Khawarizmi Institute, a contributing editor
for Augiworld magazine, a writer for CAD Digest, an instructor
for AUGI Training Program, and an elected speaker for Autodesk
University 2002. He has written 7 books in Farsi, 3 booklets in
English, and more than 30 articles for different magazines and
newsletters. You can reach him at
alireza.parsai@cadpanel.com or visit his website
www.cadpanel.com.